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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24889342">His General</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/EquusGirl0621/pseuds/EquusGirl'>EquusGirl (EquusGirl0621)</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>5+1 Things, Age Difference, Drinking &amp; Talking, Everyone Has a Crush on Leia Organa, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Loss, May/December Relationship, Mutual Pining, Older Woman/Younger Man, Pining Poe Dameron, Post-Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Time Skips, can you blame them</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 01:09:16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,024</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24889342</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/EquusGirl0621/pseuds/EquusGirl</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Being General Leia Organa can't be easy, she often looks like she has the weight of the galaxy on her shoulders. And Poe...well Poe often wishes he could help her carry that weight. </p><p>Or five times Poe wanted to do more for his General and one time he was allowed to.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Poe Dameron/Leia Organa</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>23</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>His General</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/laufire/gifts">laufire</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>A birthday gift for my friend, Lau AKA the whole reason I fell down this rabbit hole in the first place. And what a wonderful place it is. </p><p>I am so happy to be your friend, Lau and it's always a joy to share a fandom with you. I hope you enjoy this fic &lt;3</p><p>  <strike>Author has been known to play fast and loose with canon. You have been warned.</strike></p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  
</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>───────────────</p>
</div>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>~*~</p>
</div><p>A mechanic’s rag hit Poe square in the face. “Ground Control to Commander Dameron!” A round of sniggers traveled around <i>Black Squadron</i>. Poe glanced back at General Organa across the hangar bay once more, heat rising up the back of his neck before he returned to assisting Rose with ship repairs with a murmured apology. </p><p>“I’m sure it’s quite the view,” she said, smirking at him before disappearing back into the cockpit of <i>Black One</i>.</p><p>“We’re lucky the General doesn’t fly anymore or we’d all be target practice out there,” Snap said, throwing another balled-up rag at Poe. He batted it away effortlessly, grinning.</p><p>“Damned if that wouldn’t have been something to see though,” Jess said with a sigh, biting her lip as she glanced at General Organa across the hangar bay. </p><p>“Can you imagine?” Karé chimed in, poking her head out from under her fighter and leaning against a loading ladder. “Flying in a squadron with <i>the</i> Leia Organa?”</p><p>“She led her own handpicked unit after Yavin,” Poe said with as much nonchalance as he could. Which wasn’t much, honestly.</p><p>A chorus of ‘we knows’ went around the hangar all with varying levels of loving exasperation in their voices. </p><p>“Gods, you’re all worse than uni students,” L’ulo muttered. </p><p>“Oh please, you were practically falling all over yourself to get her some caf the other day,” Jess shot back, turning back to her droid’s open access panel.</p><p>“Hey, you don’t deny someone their caf,” Rose called out, her voice muffled by what must have been a tool in her mouth. “Servodriver.” Poe placed the proper tool into her outstretched hand.</p><p>An unfamiliar voice rang out across their hangar. “I see we’re all still following the time-honored tradition of everyone having a crush on Leia Organa.”</p><p>Poe nearly fell off the nose of <i>Black One</i> in his haste to identify the new voice. Stomach swooping as his eyes landed on the tall frame of Vice Admiral Holdo. “Officer on deck!” he called. </p><p>She stood near the edge of the hangar, hands stately clasped in front of her, hair a brilliant blue this week. </p><p>There were muttered curses amid the muffled <i>thumps</i> of some poor souls smacking their heads and various appendages as everyone scrambled to attention. Poe turned and cleared the way for Rose to climb out of the deconstructed cockpit before he slid to the ground, ready to steady the ladder for her.</p><p>The corner of Vice Admiral Holdo’s mouth quirked. “As you were,” she said, surveying the assembled squadron before continuing on her way. </p><p>Rose sighed in relief, leaning against the open cockpit hatch. “Excuse me, ma’am?”</p><p>The Vice Admiral paused, turning around with a raised brow. “Yes, Ensign Tico?”</p><p>”’Time honored tradition’, ma’am?”

</p>
<p>Vice Admiral Holdo’s lips curled up in a full smirk this time. “I may be exaggerating a little, but she had a fair number of admirers in the Rebellion. As you can imagine, that number only grew after the war.” </p><p>Giggles erupted around the hangar and Poe found himself smiling despite himself. When he was little, he’d wanted to marry Princess Leia and well...not much had changed really— save for the marriage part. But if he was being honest, spending the rest of his life with Leia Organa still sounded pretty damn great.</p><p>With a wry smile that was completely at odds with her formal dismissal, Vice Admiral Holdo left <i>Black Squadron</i> to their hangar bay banter. </p><p>“Speaking of crushes,” Rose murmured, wriggling back into the cockpit of <i>Black One</i> and pulling apart the control panel once more. </p><p>Poe chuckled, climbing up on the X-wing nose with his own tools. “Wouldn’t mind fixing her ship?” he asked, raising his brows suggestively. </p><p>Rose sneered at him playfully before disappearing into the access panel. “I mean...can you blame me?” </p><p>Poe watched Vice Admiral Holdo’s retreating form for a moment before returning to his repair work. “Nope.” Amilyn Holdo was beautiful, all long lines and sharp angles; besides, it wasn’t like he was in any position to tease anyone about their crushes. “You definitely have good taste, Tico.”</p><p>“Of course I do.” He didn’t have to see her to know the smug grin on her face that could currently be heard in her tone.</p><p>He and Rose worked in silence for a while after that before he spoke up again, “Have you noticed how tense all the flag officers look lately?” </p><p>A muffled snort came from the cockpit, Rose’s hand appearing to swap out tools. “Have you looked around? I would be too if I were top brass.”</p><p>Poe grunted in agreement, pulling out a fried wire. “Wish there was something more we could do,” he said, mostly to himself more than anything. </p><p>“Like what, you going to offer General Organa a shoulder massage?”</p><p>Sweat prickled at the back of his neck and he must have taken too long to respond because Rose poked her head over the edge of the cockpit. “That was a joke, Dameron.” </p><p>“I know,” he said evasively, not about to admit he’d already thought about doing just that. </p><p><b>That would be a kind offer,</b> beeped BB-8 from behind Rose. </p><p>“Thank you, BeeBee-Ate,” Poe said seriously, giving Rose a pointed look. </p><p>She rolled her eyes and disappeared once more. “<i>Poe Dameron, is this <b>spacer tape</b> in my fighter?</i>”</p><p>
  <i>Shit.</i>
</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>~*~ ~*~</p>
</div><p>BB-8 chirped at Poe from atop <i>Black One</i>, <b>Friend Poe, it’s getting late. You should have powered down by now.</b></p><p>“I know buddy, but I’ve almost—”</p><p>“I’m afraid I have to agree with the droid, Commander Dameron.” </p><p>Poe jumped, smacking his head on a support frame and managing to drop his servodriver into the maintenance hatch in his haste to sit up. “Fuck.”</p><p><b>That’s not good,</b> BB-8 trilled mournfully, looking down into the hatch and then up at Poe.   </p><p>“Tell me about it,” Poe sighed, grabbing a rag and wiping the grease from his hands as he swung his leg over the side and slid to the ground. </p><p>General Organa stood by the nose of his X-wing, looking uncharacteristically tiny surrounded by the fighter craft in the hangar. Or maybe it wasn’t the location so much as it looked like something was weighing heavy on his general’s mind. </p><p>“I could say the same about you, General,” he said, affecting a lopsided grin as he leaned against the hull of his ship. </p><p>A corner of her mouth ticked up ever so slightly, the lines around her eyes softening. “But you won’t,” she said, raising her chin imperiously. For a brief moment, he caught a glimpse of the princess she once was. </p><p>Still was. </p><p>“No, I won’t,” he ceded with a softer smile, fidgeting with a seam in the metal. “Did you need something, ma’am?” </p><p>“No, I was just going to check inventory before turning in.” </p><p>“Surely inventory can wait, General.” </p><p>Leia’s smile grew as she fidgeted with her ring, shifting from foot to foot. “It could.”</p><p>“Then you should let it.”</p><p>Leia smirked, brushing past him as she headed off in the direction of their supply warehouse. “Listen to your droid, Commander Dameron,” she called over her shoulder, “that’s an order.”</p><p>“What about you, General?” he called, turning to watch her go. </p><p>“What about me, Dameron?”</p><p>
  <i>Who’s going to make sure you get enough sleep?</i>
</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>~*~ ~*~ ~*~</p>
</div>Poe walked past the officer’s lounge, doing a double take as he spotted General Organa seated at one of the tables, pouring over a couple of datapads. He chewed his lip before ducking inside, making a cup of caf for them both.<p>He pushed the mug across the table, just within her line of sight but not in her way. She looked up as he sat down, checking her chrono before taking her glasses off and rubbing her eyes. </p><p>“Rough night?” he asked, sipping his caf.</p><p>“Rough decade more like it,” she muttered, not opening her eyes as she pinched the bridge of her nose. Seeming to remember where she was, she straightened, rolling her shoulders back and opening her eyes. “Did you need something, Dameron?” </p><p>“No, ma’am. Anything I can help you with, General?” he said, gesturing to her datapads displaying spreadsheets and reports. </p><p>Leia grunted, a corner of her mouth turning up wryly as she picked up the mug of caf. “I don’t know, can you get the Alaavian crime lords to meet with me?” </p><p>Poe pursed his lips, trying to come up with a way he could get his general what she needed. But he was much better at solving problems while sitting in a cockpit. Running blockades, smuggling supplies, taking down First Order ships—not matters of diplomacy. </p><p>“That was a rhetorical question, Dameron, don’t look so morose,” she said with a small scoff.  </p><p>“I can help,” he insisted. </p><p>“We’ve sent them a gift, now we just have to wait.” Leia’s smile had softened as she looked at him over the rim of her mug and now his insides were all warm as he tried to hide his own widening smile in his caf mug.</p><p>Finally, he managed to glance back up at her. “If we’ve done everything we can, then why are you still up?”</p><p>“A great question, but well above your pay-grade, I’m afraid,” she said, her eyes sparkling in amusement. </p><p>He spread his hands out as he raised his shoulders in a shrug. “Guess you’ll just have to promote me then.” </p><p>She laughed—it may have been quiet and small but he was happy to note it was a real one—and put her glasses back on before picking up one of the datapads. “You’d like that, wouldn’t you?”</p><p>Something in the quirk of her lips and tilt of her head as she looked him up and down over the top of her glasses made him think they weren’t just talking about military ranks anymore. He swallowed, giving her a wide grin. “I would, General.”</p><p>“Mhmm.” She shook her head, still smiling as she returned to her datapads. Poe remained in his seat, sipping his caf as he kept his general company. Maybe it wasn’t exactly what he wanted, but it was close enough.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~</p>
</div>There was a heavy sigh and the creak of metal as none other than General Organa settled next to him, the fine mist clinging to her braids. BB-8 chirped quietly from his other side before rolling away. Poe took another swig from the bottle of jet juice before silently offering it to her.<p>Her fingers brushed against his as she accepted the bottle, sniffed it, and took a drink. He should have known that she wouldn’t cough or choke on the hooch, but he still found himself mildly surprised as she passed the bottle back to him with nothing more than a slight wrinkle of her nose. </p><p>He fished out a data chip from his pocket and held it up for her. “For their families,” he said, taking another long drink. The letters he’d written for Muran and Arana felt meaningless and empty, but the thought of doing <i>nothing</i> had been even more abhorrent. Their families deserved to know their loved ones had died fighting for what they believed in, surrounded by beings that cared about them. </p><p>He’d at least been able to say that with a clear conscience. But the promise that their deaths wouldn’t be in vain felt hollow and meaningless at best and an outright lie at worst. “This how it’s always going to be?” </p><p>Leia took the data chip and slipped it into the pocket of her robes before taking the jet juice from him again. “The fight or the future?” she asked dryly before taking another drink. </p><p>He shrugged. “Either. Both. I don’t know.” He braced his hands on either side of his knees, leaning forward as he closed his eyes. Bright flashes exploded behind his eyelids. <i>Space junk and stardust.</i></p><p>“No, the fight will end...one way or another, it <i>will</i> end.” She put the alcohol down quietly; subtly placing it out of his reach. “I have a feeling it’s going to get worse before it does though.” Her last sentence was quiet, an unidentifiable edge to it. She sighed, her hand brushing his as she leaned forward and peered down at the base below. “As for the future...I thought I was done writing condolence letters long ago.”</p><p>Somehow he found himself smiling as he tilted his head to look at her. “That’s bleak as shit,” he said with a chuckle. </p><p>Her own smile was more beautiful than D’Qar’s night sky. “You asked.” She swallowed, her eyes lingering on the hair hanging in his face before she met his eyes again. “I won’t lie to you, Poe; I respect you too much,” she added quietly. </p><p>A warmth that had nothing to do with alcohol settled in his veins as he sat with her words while he continued to look at her. <i>I respect you.</i> He shouldn’t be feeling quite so giddy over those three words. He definitely shouldn’t be hyper-aware of her hand pressed next to his. And he <i>definitely</i> shouldn’t be imagining what jet juice tasted like on her lips. </p><p>“Don’t let that get to your head, it’s a wonder that X-wing of yours is able to get off the ground,” she teased, all the sting of her words taken away by the tone of her voice. There was softness and something else. Yearning maybe. Though that might just be jet juice and wishful thinking.</p><p>Poe chuckled, returning his gaze to the base below tookas chasing their tails  around his stomach. “Too late.”</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~</p>
</div>Poe limped up to the door of General Organa’s office, leaning against the jamb before raising his hand to knock. It <i>whooshed</i> open with his hand still in midair. “Come in, Commander Dameron.”<p>He pushed off the doorjamb with a wince, limping forward to hand over a datachip. “My mission report, General.” Not that there was much in there that they hadn’t gone over in his mission debrief.</p><p>Her eyes flicked up to the chip before landing on him, the corners of her mouth turning down. She accepted the chip, her fingers cool as they brushed his. “Thank you.” Leaning back, she inserted the chip into her terminal before turning back to him. “How are you feeling?”</p><p>Poe shrugged, leaning heavily against her desk. </p><p>“Oh, sit down before you fall down, Poe.” </p><p>“Honestly, ma’am, I’m fine,” he insisted even as he took a seat. “Much better than when they pulled me out of the desert.”</p><p>“You were half-dead, that’s not very reassuring,” she said, looking up from the terminal to stare at him over her glasses. </p><p>“To be honest, ma’am, being shot down wasn’t the worst part,” he admitted quietly, shifting in his seat and plucking at the bandage around his wrist, already stained with engine grease. </p><p>“No, I’d imagine not.” Leia sighed and took off her glasses, tossing them on top of a pile of datapads as she rubbed her eyes before leaning forward and fixing him with a level stare. </p><p>“I failed you, ma’am. I’m sorry.” </p><p>“Mission status is the least of my worries right now. You’re alive, that’s what matters.” She said it with so much conviction, he could almost believe her. </p><p>“But…”</p><p>“No buts.”</p><p>He persisted, suddenly desperate for her to understand just how much he’d fucked up. “Even if BeeBee-Ate doesn’t wind up in the hands of the First Order, I have no idea what other information they have. We have no idea how much jeopardy I’ve put us all in.” Poe shifted uncomfortably, a dark glove flashing in his mind. “He...just...reached into my mind and took whatever he wanted,” he murmured.</p><p>Leia stared at him for a few long moments, the wringing of her hands the only sign of her inner turmoil. “That isn’t your fault; if anything, I’m the one that ought to be apologizing, Poe.” He began to shake his head, opening his mouth to interrupt her, but she only held up a hand. “I never should have put you in that position. I can’t imagine what it must have been like.” </p><p>Poe chewed on the inside of his cheek, not really making eye contact as he continued to pick at the bandage on his wrist. “I think you might be able to understand better than most.”</p><p>She inhaled deeply, her jaw clenching. “Perhaps. But Vader was nothing more to me than a dark specter that hung over the galaxy. I didn’t know him.” Words left unsaid weighed heavy in the air between them.</p><p>He nodded, fidgeting in his seat, bouncing his heel up and down. “I knew. In my head, I knew who he was. It wasn’t really real until he was standing over me, though. I didn’t really <i>know</i>.” He fell silent as images flashed in his mind, phantom pain beginning to claw through his head. He clenched his injured hand, holding onto the pain as he cleared his throat, letting it center him. “Still doesn’t really feel real, to be honest.”</p><p>“Like a nightmare you haven’t quite shaken,” she murmured. He jumped at her proximity. While he’d been lost in memories, she’d gotten up to stand in front of him. “Sorry.”</p><p>He shook his head, waving her off. Wasn’t her fault he was always on edge lately. </p><p>Leia reached for his bandaged hand, cool fingers brushing his pale knuckles. “May I?”</p><p>With his heart in his throat, he nodded as he loosened his clenched fist; watching with wide eyes as she gracefully sank to the ground at his feet, he let her take his hand in both of hers. He had little time to marvel at just how much his hand dwarfed hers before confusion took over as she began unwrapping the already stained bandage. </p><p>Her touch was exceedingly gentle; if he hadn’t been watching her, he’d barely know she was handling his sprained wrist. </p><p>Once the bandage was off, nothing more than a pile of cloth at her knees, she slid one hand under his, their palms touching as his fingertips rested against the thin skin of her inner wrist. Her fingers curled around his wrist and he was hyper-aware of how rough his hands were in comparison. Everything about her was soft and light—her touch, her skin, the weight of her other hand as she settled it atop his, her palm resting across his busted knuckles.</p><p>He swallowed hard, unsure of her movements even though she seemed to move with absolute confidence. Everything else seemed to fall away as she closed her eyes and took a deep breath, her grip tightening ever so slightly. He forgot everything in that moment, how to breathe, how to blink. He forgot about droids and maps and Sith Lords, the whole galaxy narrowing only to her.</p><p>Until he realized he no longer felt any pain. The ache in his hand was gone, along with every other injury and sore muscle, every bruise, every scrape. Leia opened her eyes and he blinked down at her, every thought vanishing from his mind save one. <i>I wish I could take away the pain in your eyes.</i>.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>~*~</p>
</div>Poe finally found her wedged in one of the below decks maintenance hatches, fixing one of the numerous problems with the <i>Falcon</i>. Watching her work for a few quiet moments, he came to the startling realization that she probably knew the old ship better than anyone, save Chewie.<p>“You going to keep watching or are you going to get down here and give me a hand?” She asked without looking up as she continued to run a seemingly endless amount of wiring through her hands. </p><p>“Right, yeah,” he mumbled, shimmying down next to her and starting at the opposite end. “What am I looking for?”</p><p>“You’ll know it when you feel it. I’ve checked everything else, it’s got to be in these kriffing wires somewhere,” she muttered, more to herself than anything. Poe nodded and began running the wires from his end while trying to hide the smile on his face. He could count the number of times he’d heard his general swear on both hands. Thankfully, she seemed too preoccupied to notice his amusement. </p><p>“Any reason you came looking for me?” </p><p>“No, ma’am. Just wanted to check on you, see how you’re doing.” Poe winced, realizing only too late how his words must sound. The last thing he wanted to suggest was that she needed to be looked after. </p><p>Leia grunted, her nose wrinkling. “I’d be a lot better if my damned husband hadn’t been so kriffing fond of a bucket of bolts held together by spacer tape and a whole lot of hope,” she muttered. </p><p>Poe’s smile only grew, though heat rose up the back of his neck. “I’d be lying if I said there wasn’t a fair amount of spacer tape in <i>Black One</i>. Used to give Rose fits.” </p><p>She looked at him with narrowed eyes for a few moments, heat creeping up his cheeks before she shook her head and turned back to the wires. “As it should,” she said, muttering something that sounded suspiciously like ‘fucking flyboys’. </p><p>They continued their work in silence after that, Poe sneaking glances at Leia every so often. She seemingly worked by touch alone, probably a little bit of the Force too. Wisps of hair were beginning to escape her graying braids, sweat making them stick to her neck in curls. There was grease on her shirt and a black smudge of on her chin that he wanted to wipe away. </p><p>He’d never seen her look so beautiful. </p><p>“Think I got it,” she muttered, pulling the wire closer for examination. Poe marked the wire he was running and inched closer to get a better look at the wire in question. </p><p>Sure enough, it was the smallest imperfection but more than enough to cause problems. Especially on a ship as sensitive as the <i>Falcon</i>. Poe handed her the tools necessary to fix it.</p><p>Watching her repair the wiring was nothing short of a revelation, her hands moving with dexterity and an almost instinctive certainty. On some level, he knew she must know her away around a toolbox, but he’d never seen her outside the tailored robes and heavy skirts of a senate chamber or the uniforms of a general issuing orders. And sure, she was every bit as commanding even covered in ship grime but something about watching her get her hands dirty...gods, it was a sight to behold. </p><p>“Alright. Flip that switch,” she said, setting down her tools and wiping her hands on a spare rag. </p><p>She picked up a comm as Poe gave her a thumbs up. “Give me some good news, Chewie,” she said into it, closing her eyes and biting her lip.</p><p>A garbled growl came through, and Poe didn’t have to understand Shyriiwook to know the problem wasn’t fixed. </p><p>“<i>Dammit!</i>” Leia yelled, her voice bouncing around the confined space as she threw the comm. It flew apart on impact, numerous small parts now scattered to the four corners. “Dammit.” She clenched and unclenched her fists, her chest beginning to rise and fall rapidly. </p><p>Poe shifted from foot to foot, swallowing hard as he tried to think of something to say. Something, <i>anything</i>. But he was floundering, words failing him as he watched his general come apart in front of him. </p><p>“Dammit,” she muttered again, her voice ragged and thick. His heart constricted in his chest, desperately wishing he had the words to fix this. </p><p>He took a step forward, his boot sending some spare part rolling as he tentatively reached out to put a hand on her shoulder. “We’ll figure it out,” he murmured, squeezing her shoulder when she jumped. </p><p>By some miracle she didn’t pull away, even leaning back into his touch. “We’ll fix it,” he said, his words a little more confident this time. He took another half step towards her, enough to feel her radiant body heat. </p><p>By some <i>other</i> miracle she took a shuffling step into him, pressing back into his chest. “We’ll figure it out,” he repeated in a whisper, his lips brushing her braids as he wrapped his arms around her and held her tight.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>A massive 'thank you' to my lovely beta, <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/elle_vee/pseuds/elle_vee">Elle</a>, who approached this work with the same enthusiasm as all my other works despite not shipping this pairing. She is an absolute blessing and I am beyond lucky to have her.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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